Ever Again
by CatherineA
Summary: In all her life, Andromeda has never been without her sisters. Until now. (A story of the Black Sisters at Hogwarts.)


**Hi everyone! I've always wanted to know more about the Black Sisters. I think their story would be fascinating! Anyway, this is just a one-shot I wrote about how things might have played out between them. Reviews are lovely!**

**Disclaimer: Anything recognizable belongs to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

Andromeda surveyed the Great Hall with wariness.

_Why couldn't I have waited to tell them until I was free of this place?_

She felt eyes on her as she tentatively stepped into the Hall.

_It's exactly like the first day. Where do I even sit now_?

She carefully avoided her sisters' gazes as she walked towards the Slytherin table. Memories played back through her head like snippets of an old news cast.

_"But I love him!"_

_"It doesn't matter, you blood-traitor," snarled Bella. Andromeda took a step back. She locked eyes with Narcissa, pleading, but Cissy only looked away. _

_She saw get parents staring at her from across the room. _

_"Get out," her father said. _

_Andromeda didn't need to be old twice. She turned and fled from the mansion. From home_.

She finally reached the table and sat near the end. There was a time, only a few weeks ago, when she would have joined her sisters at breakfast, laughing and gossiping. Now she was nervous to even make eye contact with them.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone sit down next to her. "Wrong table," she said without looking up. She shoveled some eggs in her mouth and then looked up.

"Congratulations," Sirius said grinning.

"You heard already?" she asked.

"'Course. Word travels fast among Blacks, you know."

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "You really shouldn't be sitting with me, you know," she said.

Sirius let out a bark of a laugh. "I'm a lost cause already. Practically already burned off that blasted tree."

"You're only eleven. There's still plenty of time to remedy your reputation," she pointed out. Sirius only rolled his eyes. Andromeda filled her mouth with some more eggs. "Speaking of which. Have they blasted me off yet?"

"It was practically a ceremony," Sirius replied, smile gone. But then he burst out laughing, "which means you are now my favorite cousin."

"As opposed to who?" Andromeda asked sarcastically.

"Point made and received," said Sirius. "You know they're staring?"

"Who? My sisters? It's a whole lot easier to pretend they don't exist, trust me. Anyway, a year and I'm out of here. I won't even have to deal with Bella's insanity after this term. It'll be a breeze."

It was then that someone called Sirius from across the hall.

"Gotta run. Keep in touch. You're my inspiration," called Sirius as he darted back to the Gryffindor table. Andromeda merely rolled her eyes and finished breakfast, counting down the minutes until Charms.

* * *

Andromeda arrived first, as usual, and slid into her seat. Not long after her, Ted arrived and made himself at home in the seat next to her.

"What _happened_?" he hissed, as more people gradually filtered into the classroom.

"I told my family about you. About us," Andromeda replied, finding herself unusually embarrassed and unable to look at him. Because then she might tell him how she'd spent the holiday locked in her room at the Leaky Cauldron, to upset to even leave the place. Ted tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear, and leaned in closer.

"So you're telling me that for Christmas you got yourself kicked out of your family."

"Good. You _do_ listen."

"Andromeda, stop. This is serious. Do you have any _idea_ how bad I feel right now?"

Andromeda finally found it in herself to look up, mostly out of surprise. "What? Oh, goodness Ted. Why? Don't. This isn't your fault. You didn't _make _me fall in love with you."

"Well, I _did_ try awfully hard," pouted Ted. Andromeda sighed. "But seriously – you can never go back?"

Andromeda shook her head. "Looks like you're stuck with me."

Ted grinned and started to say something back, when Professor Flitwick walked in and began class.

* * *

It had been weeks, and Andromeda had managed to steer clear of Narcissa and Bellatrix, though she felt their stares and murmurs like knives in her back whenever she walked into the common room or sat down for a meal.

A part of Andromeda felt guilty, like she'd abandoned Narcissa. Andromeda knew Bella was far past reason, but Narcissa was still young. She had time to realize her family, _The Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black_, was wrong. And yet, Andromeda hadn't even _tried_ to convince Cissy to see reason.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, Andromeda remembered how close she used to be with her sisters. She'd remember Bella's bossiness when they played pretend, when Narcissa and herself had been too afraid to disagree with her. She'd remember the play dates by the family lake, and how Bella used to braid her hair for her. She'd remember how Cissy always came to her for comfort during storms, and how the three of them had gotten along so perfectly. She'd cry into her pillow, and make sure no one else in the dormitory ever heard.

* * *

It was a beautiful day, just before the end of the school year. Ted had just told her that he'd gotten the okay from his family for her to stay with them over the summer holidays.

"They're so curious to meet you. Except, don't worry, Dromeda. I didn't tell them about, you know, your family and stuff."

Andromeda had smiled and interlaced her fingers with his over the table that separated them.

Now, they were walking to Transfiguration, their interlaced hands swinging between them. Ted was chattering excitedly about his little sisters, and how Andromeda was bound to get along so well with them.

He was smiling, and Andromeda was laughing as she looked at him. Suddenly, something – someone – bumped into her shoulder, not at all gently, knocking the books out of her hands. Andromeda spun around.

"Oops. Sawwy," sneered Bella. Andromeda took a deep breath.

"It's perfectly alight." She bent down to pick up her books, only to have them kicked away.

"Leave her alone."

"Oh, the mudblood. He speaks." Ted opened his mouth as if to retaliate, but Andromeda stood and put a hand on his chest, pushing him a step back from her sister.

"Please, Ted," she said quietly, "don't."

He took a deep breath, looked the smirking Bellatrix up and down, and then crouched to pick up Andromeda's books. Andromeda made eye contact with Bella. Something flickered in her sister's eyes then – regret? Remorse? Before Andromeda could identify it, she found herself turning her back and continuing down the hallway, Ted at her side.

"I'll kill you."

Andromeda stopped, and slowly turned.

"I'll kill you, and you whole family too. Remember that."

Andromeda cocked her head. "I'm not afraid of you, Bella. Not anymore, and not ever again."


End file.
